382, Brooklyn, N. Y. (F). This is our fourth year. We have eight active and eight honorary members. Meetings have been held weekly without interruption, except for summer vacations. Geology has been our subject during the greater part of the time. Each year we go a little farther into it. Our collection, while not large, is by no means a poor one, and our pleasure is enhanced by examination of actual specimens. We have all been benefited by our study, and have now an intelligent general idea of geology. We have received very kind attention from the President of the "Brooklyn Entomological Society," who is an enthusiast in plants and insects. No Chapter is more interested than ours in the growth and success of the entire Association.—D. A. Van Ingen, per B. S.
386, Pine City, Minn. We think that keeping live animals is more profitable than only stuffed skins, as we have a live owl, and find it more interesting to watch him than to watch a skull and claws which belonged to another owl. We have, of insects, 980 species; minerals, 110; stuffed birds, 6; animals, 2; heads, 4; skulls, 6; miscellaneous, 20. Total, 1128; and 1018 of them are native in Minnesota.—Ernest L. Stephen.
387, Baltimore, Md. (E). After your kind letter the members took courage and determined, under all circumstances, to continue the club. Our greatest difficulty was in securing a place to meet. In our despair we went to the President of our University (Johns Hopkins), who showed great interest in us, yet could not give us a room under his roof. We then decided to store our collection (which amounts to packing them on my own shelves, in the modest little room known in our family as "Ned's Den"), and accept the invitation of one of our young lady members to meet in her study. This we have been doing ever since.—Edward McDowell, for the Secretary.
395, Montreal (A). Since the organization of our Chapter on January 5, 1883, a wonderful change has taken place. Then only six individuals met to discuss the advisability of organizing a branch here; to-day we have a large collection and a good attendance at the meetings.
Each session of this branch commences on the first Friday in October of each year and closes about the 15th of June of the following year. In this period we usually hold eighteen regular meetings. So far this session, we have had six regular meetings at which a number of excellent papers have been read; among them might be mentioned the following: Origin of Life, by Rev. E. King, M. A.; two papers on Botany, by H. McAdam, Esq.; New and Variable Stars, by W. H. Smith, Esq., President of the Astro-Meteorological Association; Our Insect Friends and Insect Foes, by Rev. T. W. Fyles; Electricity, by Prof. J. T. Donald, B. A.; and Health, its Importance and its Laws, by Dr. Desrosiers, M. D. These papers were fully illustrated with diagrams, specimens, and experiments.
Our collection is steadily increasing, and numbers about 7000 specimens at present, neatly arranged in ninety-two drawers contained in two large cabinets, and an upright glass case, which latter contains the mounted birds and mammals. Our little library, which contains only scientific publications, is nicely arranged in a book-case for the purpose. It includes about 150 volumes and many pamphlets unbound.
One very encouraging feature in our work has been that many of our young people who previously took but little interest in the study of nature have now gained a liking for the study, and a number have made private collections and are carefully studying the different forms in which they are specially interested. One member has carefully studied the life history of H. luna, one of our large bombyces, while another has been studying the flora of the Island of Montreal, and another is devoting his time to chemistry. This latter subject has been acknowledged by many of the members to be the fundamental and most fascinating study, and the one most elevating to the mind, as it can not fail to lead a student from nature to nature's God, and I confidently believe the science which tends towards that is the study which will eventually take first place in the scientific world.—W. D. Shaw, Secretary, 34 St. Peter Street, Montreal, Canada; Thos. Patton, Pres.
398, Roseville, N. J. Our Chapter has been divided into four sections, each having its own Chapter, and in turn instructing the club on its special subject. We have purchased a few standard books, a book-case, and a very handsome cabinet, which we have nearly filled with fine specimens. The leading events of the season have been a social party, and a debate on the comparative utility of wood and iron. We will never say die.—Sara Darrach, Secretary.
400, Fargo, Dakota. We have rented a fine suite of rooms. We have eighteen members, and the prospect of as many more. We have a cabinet full of specimens, and are prepared to exchange minerals, shells, Indian relics, etc., with other chapters. We are settled now, and are doing good hard work. With best wishes for yourself and the A. A.—Frank Brown, Sec. Box 1769.